This invention relates to a radio frequency hair removal method which more effectively and permanently impairs future hair regrowth.
The most recent and more popular type of hair removal or epilator devices currently in use are tweezer type units through which RF energy is applied to the hair shaft. Typical of such devices and methods for removal of hair are described in Mehl U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,174,713; 4,566,454; and Mehl Pending application Ser. No. 372,852, filed Jun. 29, 1989. The methods taught in the above mentioned patents and application require in many instances thirty seconds treatment of each hair to be removed. Thus, removal of a substantial amount of hair is a time consuming though very effective process. With the present developments available., sufficient time is required in order to effectively damage the root system of the hair so that the hair may be removed by a very gentle upward lift rather than a sharp tug which would be normally applied for the removal of a single hair by a tweezers without any treatment of the hair. The present Mehl system is designed to avoid any discomfort to the person being treated for hair removal. Early developments in the removal of hair using RF energy require the use of a needle in combination with a tweezer such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,054,405; 2,894,512; and 853,096. The drawback of these devices is that the insertion of the needle under the skin produces irritation and swelling and burning of the tissues.
Other devices which do not use the needle but grip the hair a considerable distance from the skin and apply HF energy are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,888,927; 2,417,530; and 1,071,978. In these patents no requirement for insertion of the needle into the skin is made. However, these devices require a great deal of time for hair removal and do not effectively impair the development of the hair regrowth, and further, in many cases cause severe skin burns if the tweezer tip is brought in contact with the skin surface.